Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 761 Tranquility is Impossible

In the capital city, at the Zhang family's villa.

Shen Lu came to visit Zhang Luan.

Besides congratulating Zhang Luan on his promotion in person, he also inquired about the Yellow River engineering works.

Shen Lu was clearly concerned about this issue, because he wanted to make a difference in the court and continue to have opportunities for promotion within the Office of Transmission.

Because Li Zisheng has not completely fallen, it means that Shen Lu currently has two backers. Even if Zhang Luan cannot provide him with strong assistance, Li Zisheng, as the former Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review, who knows his background, will pave the way for him.

Therefore, in Shen Lu's view, he needed to help with things with Zhang Luan and Li Zisheng, especially by speaking up for Li Zisheng to make Zhang Luan pay more attention to the Yellow River project.

Upon hearing Shen Lu's purpose, Zhang Luan's expression turned rather displeased. He asked, "Everyone is urging me on. How am I supposed to have a good day? I don't even know where to begin investigating the cases I'm handling."

He himself never inquired about the case, directly shifting the responsibility to Mu Bin, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and his youngest son, but he liked to use this as an excuse to deceive others.

Shen Lu cautiously said, "Someone has done the math: if the Yellow River were to change its course, it would probably cost six million taels of silver to complete the project. How easy is it to come up with that amount within three years?"

"Six million taels of silver? Is this for building the Yellow River or a palace in the heavens?"

Zhang Luan frowned upon hearing this.

Shen Lu quickly said, "Do you think I'm lying to you? That's really how they calculated it... and this matter has been rumored in the court for a long time, and the rumors are getting stronger and stronger..."

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Luan nodded and said, "I know what they're trying to do."

"Um!?"

Shen Lu asked, "Did they overcharge or undercharge?"

Zhang Luan said, "They gave us a figure, saying it was a minimum of six million taels. If things don't work out in the end, they'll say that Minister Li and I were incompetent. If we manage to succeed by chance, and the amount spent is far less than that, they'll say that this river project was done hastily and carelessly, that we didn't do our best for the court, and that we ended up with a mess, and that the newly built river embankment will collapse in a few years!"

"This……"

Shen Lu exclaimed in surprise, "No way?"

Zhang Luan sighed, “Ru Xue, you have a lot to learn from me. If it were before, I wouldn’t have believed that people could be so wicked. But since I’ve been talking to my son more, I’ve discovered that he uses all his malice on this, which makes me feel like I have thorns in my back and I suffer terribly.”

“Yanling, he…”

Shen Lu was speechless.

I've never seen a father belittle his son like this before, but Zhang Luan seems to enjoy it, always teasing his son and never tiring of it.

Zhang Luan said, "My son has seen through the wickedness of people's hearts. I have learned the essence from him. Now when I look at those people in the court, none of them have good intentions. Humph, they have learned all the classics but have forgotten them."

Shen Lu said helplessly, "There's no need to make such a comment."

"Not calling them sons of bitches is already being polite," Zhang Luan cursed. "I offered my heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon shone on the gutter! That saying is absolutely true."

……

……

A few days later, Liu Jian officially joined the cabinet.

The court was in harmony with its officials.

Everyone expressed satisfaction with the emperor's arrangement. The only slight drawback was that Zhang Luan entered the cabinet before Liu Jian, which posed a significant threat that Zhang Luan might become the chief minister and disrupt the court in the future.

After Liu Jian entered the cabinet, he lived up to expectations. For several days in a row, the affairs of the court were basically handled properly. From the cabinet to the Directorate of Ceremonial, the efficiency of handling court affairs improved significantly, and Liu Jian was praised by more people as a result.

In contrast, Zhang Luan was much more relaxed and comfortable at home.

He was nominally recuperating, but in reality his condition was much better. However, he refused to return to court to do his job, not even to the Ministry of Revenue to greet his subordinates.

Zhu Youcheng really needed Zhang Luan, his father-in-law, to support him in the court. He needed someone to stand up for him when there was a power struggle between the emperor and his ministers. However, Zhang Luan was too lazy. For several days in a row, he stayed in his private quarters, hiding his mistress, and didn't even show his face.

That day, carrying Mu Bin's instructions, Qin Yun went to see Zhang Luan.

Originally, Qin Yun wanted to directly consult Zhang Yanling...

However, Mu Bin was a pragmatist, or rather, in Mu Bin's view, rules were more important than anything else. The current court was in an unprecedented state of harmony. As the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, it was already outrageous for him to seek the opinion of a vice minister who was a relative of the emperor on important matters of the court. But to have to go and ask the emperor's brother-in-law, who was still a child, made him feel even more ashamed.

Zhang Luan was in the villa. He didn't get up until late in the morning. He sat listlessly at the dining table, where there was congee and side dishes. Qi Niang was serving him breakfast, but Zhang Luan was too lazy to touch his chopsticks and seemed to have no appetite.

Upon hearing that Qin Yun had come to visit, Zhang Luan looked quite displeased and asked, "How did he know I was here?"

This problem was clearly beyond the explanation of the old woman who came to deliver the message.

In the old woman's eyes, the man standing at the door was a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, a very high-ranking official who could easily arrest and behead ordinary people. Yet, he had come here to see her, and her unreliable master was acting as if he didn't think much of him.

Qi Niang said, "Master, Commander Qin is quite a figure in the capital now. Isn't it normal for him to know you're here? Perhaps someone informed you?"

"I'm afraid of being disturbed." Zhang Luan looked utterly dejected. "Is it easy for me to find some peace and quiet here? Is my son playing another prank on me?"

Qi Niang smiled and said, "Why does Master speak of the Second Young Master in this way?"

Zhang Luan said, "He used to nag me every day, telling me to be celibate and abstain from worldly desires, saying it was for my own good and to take good care of my health. But now... look at me, I'm not seriously injured. Besides, would it seem absurd for me to stay here overnight? I think I've been very restrained, haven't I?"

"Yes."

Qi Niang agreed verbally, but in her heart she was thinking, "You've caused quite a bit of trouble."

Even if your son deliberately sent Commander Qin here, his purpose wasn't specifically to reprimand you; he must have something important to report. You live here every day, keeping dozens of women in the entire courtyard busy for you, and you're still enjoying yourself. Don't you know you're just causing trouble for others?

Zhang Luan flicked his sleeve and said, "Go out and tell him to find a nearby tavern or teahouse to wait for me. This is not a place he can just come to!"

"Sigh! It seems like it's time to move around. Staying in the city is too inconvenient."

"Sir, you mean...?"

Qi Niang was somewhat puzzled.

Zhang Luan looked at Qi Niang and said with a smile, "Since you want to find some peace and quiet, you must find a quiet and elegant place, preferably with mountains and water. I have a courtyard outside the city, which my son took to set up some workshop before. I will ask him to take it back and let you all move there."

Qi Niang got angry as soon as she heard that.

We're living perfectly well in the city. This courtyard is huge and luxurious, and it's very convenient to go out and buy things. Plus, being in the city, our safety is guaranteed. Why would they want to send us out of the city?

Who would get used to being in the middle of nowhere?

"My lord, given your status, if you were to return to the capital and attend court every day, wouldn't it be inconvenient to move out of the city to live?"

Qi Niang tried to dissuade her in a tactful way.

Zhang Luan was taken aback. After thinking for a moment, he sighed and said, "That is a matter. However, I don't want to go to court every day. It's too tiring! After a while, when the title is bestowed, I will continue to be a wealthy and idle person! Hehe, maybe His Majesty will bestow a large mansion upon me then, and you can move into the mansion where you live now."

Qi Niang smiled and rolled her eyes at him, saying, "This concubine would not dare to openly enter the room."

"How can you say that?" Zhang Luan said with a smile, "We're all family. I know you don't want to see my wife. But now that they've all moved to the big courtyard, the courtyard is empty, isn't it?"

Qi Niang asked, "Does Master want the family to know what's going on in this courtyard right now?"

"This one……"

Zhang Luan pondered for a moment, then said helplessly, "You're right. Since it's an outer residence, it's better to keep it discreet. But all I see is an official title, not any money. I need money to move to another courtyard or find a quieter place! No, I'll have to ask that kid for some of it back later."

"You're asking your son for money?"

Qi Niang was very surprised.

You, as a father, can't even control the family fortune? So the head of the Zhang family is your youngest son? No wonder you look so weak; it turns out your wallet is being controlled by someone else?
Zhang Luan said, "When I'm an official, how much salary do I get in a year? It's not even enough to support my family, let alone you. If it weren't for Minister Li arranging all this for me, I would be going home every day now, living a life of meager meals."

"But my son is different. He has a good business sense and has made a lot of money outside. Even a little bit of it that slips through his fingers is enough to make me feel incredibly fortunate."

Qi Niang was speechless.

"However, his main task is to plan for the court and raise funds for Minister Li to repair the river in the south. I won't let him spend too much money; he just needs to help me exchange for a courtyard whose exact location is unknown."

Zhang Luan stood up and said, "We'll sell this house later. It's in a bustling part of the city and has such a large courtyard, so the price will definitely be high. We can move to a larger and more comfortable place outside the city!"
"Alright, you can leave now. I'll be back soon!"

……

……

Zhang Luan went to see Qin Yun.

Qin Yun stood guard at the roadside tea stall, feeling conflicted. He knew that Zhang Guozhang didn't like him, yet he still came, feeling a sense of frustration at being met with indifference.

When he saw Zhang Luan come out with several guards, he quickly went to greet him.

"Come on, let's talk over there."

Zhang Luan pointed to the tea stall.

Qin Yun quickly cleared a path for Zhang Luan.

After Zhang Luan sat down at the tea stall, he looked around at the bustling crowd and asked, "Commander Qin, you know this is Chongwen Gate, a place where merchants gather and it's noisy and bustling. Did you really have to come all the way here to find me?"

Qin Yun thought to himself, "I also wanted to go directly into the mansion to pay my respects, but you insisted on meeting me outside."

That makes sense, you chose to keep your mistress hidden here, you certainly don't want outsiders to disturb you.

"Please forgive me, Your Excellency."

Qin Yun cupped his hands and said, "This humble servant did not want to come, but Governor Mu insisted that I come to seek his advice, so I had no choice but to do so."

"Alright, he doesn't know his place, don't you know that too?"

Zhang Luan's expression was unfriendly. He said, "You know who's in charge in the Zhang family. Why don't you go directly to my son Yanling? Or is there something else besides that case that I absolutely have to handle?"

Qin Yun said, "It's like this. After a thorough investigation, the Embroidered Uniform Guard arrested several of Eunuch Liang's followers and are currently interrogating them. They have come specifically to ask you what to do next."

"Whose disciple?"

Zhang Luan frowned.

Qin Yun then realized that he had made a mistake in addressing her and quickly said, "I am Liang Fang, the former eunuch."

Zhang Luan said, "What? Haven't all of Eunuch Liang's people in the court been thoroughly purged yet? How come a few more have suddenly appeared?"

Qin Yun was speechless. It seemed that he had a big problem with the way he addressed Liang Gonggong, but he himself addressed Liang Fang as "Liang Gonggong"?
Are you kidding me?

“The case of Liang Fang was not thoroughly investigated before, especially since some merchants from other places had purchased goods for Liang Fang and were able to escape punishment because they had someone protecting them.”

Qin Yun explained.

Zhang Luan said, "So the reason they were arrested this time is because those who sheltered them will also be held accountable, right?"

"Yes."

Qin Yun said, "Actually, there were two main culprits behind the previous treasury deficit: Liang Fang and Wei Xing, and... well, that is..."

"What is it? Why are you hesitating?"

Zhang Luan frowned.

Qin Yun looked troubled and said, "It is Li Zhongcheng, the current Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and Vice Censor-in-Chief."

"what?"

Zhang Luan leaned closer in surprise and asked in a low voice, "Li Zisheng was involved too?"

"Ah."

Qin Yun seemed evasive, saying, "Most of the Liang Gonggong disciples who were saved before were through Li Zhongcheng's manipulation. In fact, before Li Zhongcheng and Liang Fang completely broke off relations, they... were actually in common on many things."

Zhang Luan nodded and said, "That's right. Li Zisheng was originally recommended to the late emperor by Liang Fang, and he rose through the ranks. For a long time, they were inseparable, one inside the palace and the other outside, supporting each other... How come I didn't think of this?"

Qin Yun asked, "Then..."

"Don't ask me."

Zhang Luan said, "Whoever is guilty should be brought to justice. Just investigate. If these people insist that Li Zisheng protected his accomplices and that Li Zisheng was the mastermind, I will still investigate. However, Li Zisheng is now in charge of river management in the south, and the court has ordered him to spend a large sum of money to complete the river works. Isn't that a kind of punishment?"

"Uh...too."

Even though Qin Yunxun realized that all the talk about upholding justice was a lie.

Given Zhang Luan's good relationship with Li Zisheng, how could he possibly investigate Li Zisheng? Even if he said so, it would just be a formality.

Otherwise, Li Zisheng wouldn't have been able to escape from the imperial prison so easily twice, and he would still be able to hold office now, and what he is doing now seems to be a great achievement for generations to come.

Zhang Luan said, "Now that you've already apprehended the person and interrogated him, why are you looking for me? Is there something you're struggling with that you need my guidance?"

Qin Yun quickly replied, "That's right. Although those people don't have much wealth, they do have some connections. If we were to question them, it might implicate more high-ranking officials in the court. So, Governor Mu's idea is to see if we should... ask our superiors to suppress this case."

"Huh? Press it down?"

Zhang Luan frowned and said, "Let me verify with you, aren't they investigating officials yet?"

“Uh…no,” Qin Yun said, “but they all have some degree of official rank or title. Or they have family members who are officials and have close ties with them.”

Zhang Luan's expression grew even more displeased, and he questioned, "We're not even investigating officials yet, so we're already suppressing everything? What if we stop when we find out which high-ranking official is being investigated later?"

"Investigate! We must investigate! No matter who is involved, we must get to the bottom of it. That's my word!"

(End of this chapter)